Explosive
by pessimistie
Summary: Mana Khemia. Some Spoilers. Jess and Roxis bonding in a day.


_Explosive_

Disclaimer: Belongs to Gust

Jess picks up a vial of Black Liquid and pours it into the cauldron with glee. For the first time in months, she was able to have the workshop all to herself.

It wasn't like she didn't enjoy working with Vayne or the others. She just didn't like the fact that Vayne would tell her to be careful and measure every single drop of liquid needed.

It was ridiculous, why bother? Maybe it would even make the results twice as strong!

She hummed to herself as she threw in more materials into the cauldron, ignoring her Mana's constant, 'You better not' or 'It's going to explode again'.

Jess frowned and shushed her Mana with a sharp, "I know what I'm doing, geez."

She made a grab for a thunder stone and was about to throw it into the cauldron when she felt a strong grip on her wrist.

"What are you doing?" the quite calm voice spoke softly behind her.

Jess turned around to look straight at her fellow blond alchemist.

"O-oh! Roxis. Why are you here...how long have you been there?" she asked softly.

She didn't really want anyone to find out about her little...experiments, if it was Vayne who had caught her, she wouldn't mind so much. Vayne was kind and understanding; he didn't make fun of her and even helped when she...made a miscalculation.

Roxis was a different story; ever since he was 'forced' to join Flay's workshop, he had been cold towards the others and even snapped at her a few times.

He was a very talented and hard working alchemist, if he found out about her screw ups; he would no doubt sneer and ridicule her.

"Adding that thunder stone would result in a explosion great enough to blow up this workshop and part of the Athanor room. What iare/i you trying to make? You should research what you are synthesizing beforehand instead of guessing." Roxis said coldly, pushing up his glasses. "Really." he muttered as he left Jess and her Mana standing there with wide eyes.

* * *

"Hey, Jess? You okay? Are you not feeling well again?" Jess turned and smiled at Vayne and shook her head, "I'm okay! Just a bit tired."

Vayne looked slightly alarmed, "Is it that again? I'll take you to the infirmary." he offered, slightly worried.

"No, it's alright, I'm fine. Besides, Flay asked you and Nikki to help him and Anna with something right? You should go now, or he'll be upset." Jess smiled sweetly and started to put her notebook in her bag.

"Okay, if you say so." Vayne was slightly unconvinced, but he left with Nikki anyways.

"Hey Nikki?"

"Yeah? What's up?"

"Jess seems kind of out of it lately. Did you notice?"

"Yeah...she seems kinda down lately...oh no." Nikki stopped in her tracks and turned to Vayne in horror.

"What's wrong Nikki?"

"You don't think...we forgot her birthday or something?"

"W-what?! But I though her birthday was next month!"

"Oh no! Quick! Let's go ask Flaya!" Nikki started to tug on Vayne to hurry up.

"Would Flay know?"

"Of course! He knows everything about his."

"Oh, right..."

* * *

"Pamela? Are you there? Pamela?" Jess didn't get a reply, so she figured Pamela probably went out to scare freshmen.

Jess looked at the clock, 4:45 pm. Perfect.

"Uh, Jess? Do you think this is a good idea, I thought you said you'll wait for Vayne to help you?" Jess ignored her Mana's protest and started pulling out ingredients.

"No, I can't bother him all the time. Besides, tomorrow we have an assignment. I need to synthesize something that can help us so we don't have to scramble back here to make it."

"You're being selfish again. You remember what Roxis said last week?" the Mana of Wind sighed, looking at her master.

"Yeah, well he's just a meanie. Just because he's from a family of great alchemists, he thinks he's better than me." she huffed. "I got my Mana before he did, so why does he act so high and mighty?"

"I'm sorry that you feel that way."

Jess jumped, "Huh? Roxis...? How long were you there?" she turned to see the blond standing near the bookshelf.

"I was here the whole time." He replied flatly.

"Ah! I'm really sorry, I mean-! I didn't-!"

Roxis ignored her and sat down on the table in the middle of the workshop.

"Just do what you must." and he opened his book and started reading.

Jess nodded, though she knew he couldn't have seen it.

She took out her notebook and started to sort out her ingredients.

'Oh no! I don't have any Medicinal Radish, umm...maybe if I substitute it with...' she took some Huffin and placed it near the rest of the ingredients.

"Alright, time to start!"

She started to throwing in her ingredients and was about to place a hand full of Purplinacherb when she felt someone tap her on the back.

"Hmm? Oh, whats wrong Roxis?"

"You don't need that much Purplinacherb." he plucked some out of her hand and threw it into the cauldron and span the alchemist wheel.

He looked at the rest of her ingredients on the table and frowned at the Huffin.

"Vergie Purple?"

"Pardon?"

"Are you trying to make it?" he asked slowly.

"Oh! Yes."

"The Huffin isn't part of the recipe."

"Yes, I seem to have run out of Medicinal Radishes," she smiled, slightly embarrassed, "I thought that the Huffin would boost the healing property."

Roxis adjusted his glasses and started pulling different materials from the cupboards.

"Plain radishes work also."

Jess blushed, "Oh, I forgot. But! Wouldn't putting Huffin in it work also?"

"No, it won't." Roxis turned away and started to chop up the radish. "Well? Aren't you going to work on it? Or shall I do it for you too?"

Jess nodded, embarrassed, and started mixing the ingredients together.

It wasn't long before they were finished. Jess smiled, "Alright! We're finished."

Roxis didn't say anything, but he started to clean up the mess.

Jess started pulling out jars from her bag when she started to cough.

Her coughing started to become fiercer, and her eyes started to blur from her tears.

She felt a pair of hands grab her shoulders and pull her back a bit.

"The smell is a bit strong, you should stay back a bit for a while, go open the windows." Roxis let go of her shoulders and turned away back to cleaning up.

"Y-yea..." the world seemed to slide downwards and soon Jess had collapsed onto the ground.

Roxis immediately looked up and started to panic when he saw Jess slumped on the ground.

He shook her shoulders, "Hey! Are you alright? Get a hold of yourself!"

"I..." and she fainted.

* * *

The rays of the setting sun slipped through the slither of a gap in the curtains. It shone brightly against the window pane as Roxis continued to stare at the window in the infirmary.

Soon Jess started to stir. "What? What happened?"

"You passed out. How are you feeling?"

Jess looked sideways and looked at the blond blearily, "Ah…I'm fine, really."

Roxis quirked an eyebrow skeptically, "You're awfully pale, I haven't seen someone react that way before."

She giggled nervously, "Oh, don't worry, I'm just kind of tired." She started to get up only to collapse back into bed.

Roxis sighed and shook his head, "Your Mana already told me."

Jess' eyes widened, "Don't tell!"

"I won't." Jess relaxed.

"Does anyone else know?" Roxis asked.

"Only Vayne knows. Don't tell him I passed out today, I don't want to worry him again."

Roxis nodded grimly.

Jess started to get up slowly until she was in a sitting position.

"You promise?" Roxis nodded again, "I promise."

"Pinky swear?" Roxis blinked incredulously at her, but he stuck his pinky out to lock it around hers anyway.

Jess laughed, "Thanks Roxis." She started to get out of the bed while Roxis helped her stand up.

"Roxis seems to be nicer than usual today, did something happen?" Jess giggled.

Roxis coughed into his hand, "No, I decided to be more charitable today." His face tinted pink.

Jess didn't seem to notice, "Oh! Roxis?"

"I have your Vergie Purple bottled already, it's in the workshop."

"Haha, no it's not that." Roxis blinked, confused.

"I want to apologize for what I said earlier today, really! I'm glad that your working with us!" she smiled sincerely as Roxis could only stare.

"Thanks a lot for today! I'll see tomorrow Roxis, bye!"

He didn't say anything, all he could do was stare at his shoes and try not to heed to the numbing sensation in his legs. If Flay found out he had fainted again, he would have a field day.

* * *

A/R: I know, I know. Why Jess x Roxis. I just thought it would be cute. Roxis is a bit OOC, I haven't finished the game yet, so I can't really grasp his personality just yet xD.


End file.
